Any reason why I was getting 10.7mpg?

[Hahnsb2]

approximate rpm at 40mph

in drive:
2100

in o:
1500


could be off by a couple hundred.. but won't be too far off if i remember correct

Stay out of OD, let your engine rev over 2K, even with my 4.0 I get nearly 2MPG better if I stay out of 5th under 60-65 running 1800-2300 RPMS instead of 1500 RPM.

 

[baxtej44]

your battery cables might be corroded inside the rubber coating. that killed my mpg from 20 to 13 empty on a 2wd truck. i would strongly suggest changing those if you never did or dont recall the last time you did.

How would I go about doing that.. and how much is that gonna cost? Any way for me to check before I get rid of cables?

Stay out of OD, let your engine rev over 2K, even with my 4.0 I get nearly 2MPG better if I stay out of 5th under 60-65 running 1800-2300 RPMS instead of 1500 RPM.

Anybody agree with this?

 

[Shran]

Anybody agree with this?

Yes. The only time I am in OD is if I'm on the highway doing more than 55 or so. Supposedly it's hard(er) on your tranny if you drive around town in OD. I have no evidence to say one way or another, just hearsay, but it makes sense if your motor makes its best mileage at say 2200-2700 RPM that you would want to keep it there.

I am not sure about the battery cable thing. I suppose you could check resistance or something in the cables with the multimeter......other than cutting the wire open, that would be about the only way to check them.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

For the battery cable thing, just make sure they aren't really corroded and if they are clean them off... I absolutely agree, driving your truck under 2k rpm will only hurt your mileage... The only time I shift into 5th gear is when I'm on the interstate and I only shift once I get to ~65... I'm not sure about your tranny, but I know if you have a manual and you lug it down below ~1500rpm it's hard on your rings, and creates more heat... Let your transmission do the work for you... Keeping your motor spinning above 2k rpm's will be the biggest thing to keeping gas mileage up (besides regular maintenance)... My money is still on the CTS...

BTW - I've got that stuff, I scanned it in at school today, It'll be in your e-mail tomorrow around noon

 

[baxtej44]

Yes. The only time I am in OD is if I'm on the highway doing more than 55 or so. Supposedly it's hard(er) on your tranny if you drive around town in OD. I have no evidence to say one way or another, just hearsay, but it makes sense if your motor makes its best mileage at say 2200-2700 RPM that you would want to keep it there.

I am not sure about the battery cable thing. I suppose you could check resistance or something in the cables with the multimeter......other than cutting the wire open, that would be about the only way to check them.

So I would just check both cables right after the terminals? Or as far away from the battery as I can? And it should read... 12v?

For the battery cable thing, just make sure they aren't really corroded and if they are clean them off... I absolutely agree, driving your truck under 2k rpm will only hurt your mileage... The only time I shift into 5th gear is when I'm on the interstate and I only shift once I get to ~65... I'm not sure about your tranny, but I know if you have a manual and you lug it down below ~1500rpm it's hard on your rings, and creates more heat... Let your transmission do the work for you... Keeping your motor spinning above 2k rpm's will be the biggest thing to keeping gas mileage up (besides regular maintenance)... My money is still on the CTS...

BTW - I've got that stuff, I scanned it in at school today, It'll be in your e-mail tomorrow around noon

I have an automatic, and thanks can't wait to see the manual... and hopefully that will jack my mileage back up

It honestly hasn't been that big of a deal, gas isn't too expensive here, and I don't find myself filling up all the time, mainly because I don't do alot of pointless driving... I drive to school, and to work, that's almost it. Drive to friend's houses twice a weekend usually, and to Church youth group once a week... but honestly that's about it.

 

[feellnfroggy]

I used to shift my stang (89 4 cyl) into 5th at around 55 all the time, I got 30 mpg. The ranger engine's powerband is much lower in the rpm range, I dont see how low shifting the 5th would hurt the rings.

Someone mentioned the engine temp sensor affecting gas mileage, Its the one thing on my engine not changed and my temp gauge nevers goes over the L in L[normal]H
But I have a horrible time driving it. 92 2.3L In my ranger I can never use 5th because it wont do 55 except downhil and even then it loses power if I shift into 5th. I cant even speed up down hill.

 

[Shran]

Someone mentioned the engine temp sensor affecting gas mileage, Its the one thing on my engine not changed and my temp gauge nevers goes over the L in L[normal]H
But I have a horrible time driving it. 92 2.3L In my ranger I can never use 5th because it wont do 55 except downhil and even then it loses power if I shift into 5th. I cant even speed up down hill.

The coolant temp sensor has nothing to do with the gauge. Your computer uses it to adjust the air/fuel mixture. The gauge is connected to another "sensor"...called the temperature sender IIRC.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

If the CTS is bad, it will make the computer think it's cold and will dump more fuel into the cylinders than it normally does...

 

[baxtej44]

If the CTS is bad, it will make the computer think it's cold and will dump more fuel into the cylinders than it normally does...

i know how busy things can get... still haven't gotten those pages yet though.


don't know if you forgot or not.. just sayin lol... i hate saying this kind of stuff, because i feel like i come off as pushy, but i'm not trying to sound/be pushy!

 

[Cyberbeer]

Check the Fuel Pressure Reg too. Mine went bad and my mileage dropped to about 13-14, not to mention dumped fuel into the brake booster, and the oil.

 

[Beanmachine7000]

Oh, yeah... Things at school are super busy, and I'm helping open a new store where I work, so it's been double busy... It's no big deal... I have a mostly free day tomorrow, I'll have them to ya then...

 

[88gt]

I am not sure about the battery cable thing. I suppose you could check resistance or something in the cables with the multimeter......other than cutting the wire open, that would be about the only way to check them.

checking the voltage on both ends could tell you. i wound up cutting ott the battery connector end and looking at the wire. i had a new connector to go on it already and wheni looked, it was greenish in color which meant the wire was corroded and therefore couldn't pass the electricity as freely because of the added resistance. poor spark power equals les efficientt burning of fuel. that leads to more gas being poured in to make up the difference in spark power. cutting a slit in the plastic could also let you know and thats someting a little electric tape can fix. as fer the cost and time. cost 15-20 bucks to replace both the positive and negative cables and depending on how mechanically inclined you find your self 30 min to a hour to changeem'. make sure you roughly measure lengths before you go buy so you dont have to make a second trip or three.

 

[baxtej44]

Check the Fuel Pressure Reg too. Mine went bad and my mileage dropped to about 13-14, not to mention dumped fuel into the brake booster, and the oil.

say wut? lol

checking the voltage on both ends could tell you. i wound up cutting ott the battery connector end and looking at the wire. i had a new connector to go on it already and wheni looked, it was greenish in color which meant the wire was corroded and therefore couldn't pass the electricity as freely because of the added resistance. poor spark power equals les efficientt burning of fuel. that leads to more gas being poured in to make up the difference in spark power. cutting a slit in the plastic could also let you know and thats someting a little electric tape can fix. as fer the cost and time. cost 15-20 bucks to replace both the positive and negative cables and depending on how mechanically inclined you find your self 30 min to a hour to changeem'. make sure you roughly measure lengths before you go buy so you dont have to make a second trip or three.

sounds pretty good... since the CTS was the first thought, and by multiple people, i will probably do this first... upcoming weekend.. or some time when conveinent.

if i don't notice a good enough increase, i will probably do the battery too.. in fact it should probably just get done, because i'm sure it's probably a 20 year old cable, and should have been replaced probably 10-15 years ago lol

 

[AllanD]

If the CTS is bad, it will make the computer think it's cold and will dump more fuel into the cylinders than it normally does...

Call it the "ECT" "Engine Coolant Temp" (saying sensor is redundant)
because that's what ford calls it

the "usual suspects" are
1)ECT
2)ACT
3)HEGO

4)on an '86-87 I'd go hunting for a broken "spagetti line"
for the EGR control system.

I'd check the engneering number on the PCM.
Because honestly it sounds a lot like an '87 engine
running with a non functional EGR system.

Your computer should have the engineering number starting with
"E87" if it starts off as "E77" you have the wrong one...
(E8 = 1988, 7 = Ranger/Bronco2)

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[naford]

Not to steer anybody in the wrong direction. If the computer thought the motor was cold and added more gas won't the RPM's also be higher? Question could the intake be clogged with something? From the filter back to the intake.